For my ‘musings’ for this Monday, I wanted to bring out some research behind some ‘education’ advertisements. These are inserted carefully between games on your smart phone. If you play word games, the education ads are more frequent than if you play games with matching fruit.

While we know the CCSS Machine is everywhere, it’s not surprising we see the in-our-faces propaganda showing up like this. The simple solution? Stop playing the games on your phone. However, while you may stop, what about the millions of others who won’t and thus those ads continue to be seen?

Below, I’ve going to show you 3 such examples.

Curio Learning’s Advertisement:

Warriors, note this one is targeting teachers. We know how awfully teachers are treated by the CCSS Machine.

What’s interesting about this free app (Curio Learning) you can download to your smart phone or computer: is by invitation only.

Curio Learning is also seeing education as something to be improved upon globally. The founder of Curio Learning is Ashley Lamb-Sinclair (KY’s 2016 Teacher of the Year). Her inspiration for creating Curio Learning, LLC? The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.(*Note: be sure to read all 4 pages of the above embedded article so you can see which teachers are targeted.)
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If you check out the blog for Curio Learning, you’ll see a definite global agenda in the posts. For example, “Treat Your Classroom Like a Temple of Heaven”. This one was written by a NJ Teacher of the Year (2016) and featured by Lamb-Sinclair. In the “Heaven” article, the writer reveals that the NEA (National Education Association) is behind the globalization efforts aimed at teachers.

Of course, Warriors, NEA’s ties to the UN (United Nations) and other global agenda carrying education reform groups is no secret. It’s also no secret that NEA is the group behind all the “Teachers of the Year” awards.********************************************************************

If you are curious as to how Curio Learning, LLC got its funding, it’s NOT the Gates Foundation, it’s KY basedKale and Flax (Human Centered Design Company).

(*Note: Warriors, if you’ll remember, National School Choice Week also used penguins dressed in yellow scarves. Why are so many CCSS Machine member groups using innocent penguins? Penguins ARE cute, they also live in a huge community. They are seen as ‘cool’, too.)

What teacher doesn’t wish to be ‘cool’? What family doesn’t wish to have their school choice as ‘cool’? For a more psychology based look at why we are seeing more penguins in our education ads, read this 2014 article. The CCSS Machine is diabolical. Using anthropomorphism (humans seeing their characteristics in animals) is one of them.
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Next Up, ICivics’ Advertisement:

Warriors, note right off the bat the social justice aspect is focused on here. “Literacy” should be reserved for English, or, as it’s been re-branded, ELA (English Language Arts). “Civil Rights” belongs in Social Studies. We’ve seen a dangerous mix of social justice in subjects it has no business being inserted into.

According to the iCivics website, you don’t just learn civics, you ‘play’ them. As in, on-line gaming. Founded by former Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, you’d think iCivics could get the most basic of American concepts correct: that we are a Republic, NOT a democracy!

On Page 3 of the iCivics latest Annual Report, you’ll see that over 5 million students ‘reaped benefits’of the on-line games. (*Note: you’ll need to scroll down the page to the Annual Report.)

On Page 7, you’ll learn how Civics is being used as a tool to drive student’s behaviors.
Page 9 reveals how iCivics will grow to over 10 million students by 2020 via PBLs (project-based learning). PBLs are code for CBE (competency based learning). CBE is used on a global scale as a ‘one-way-to-learn-so-you-can-earn’ system.

Warriors, if you cannot read from the screen shot which CCSS Machine members are funding iCivics, here are the ones I highlighted: Carnegie Corporation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, and, the MacArthur Foundation.

Is it any wonder true American civics is being replaced by social justice initiatives? Below, from the iCivics’“About Us”page (scroll down to the “Evidence” links), how “Next Generation Learning” is tied to Common Core and iCivics:(Source of SRI’s history can be found here.)

Warriors, be sure to go to the SRI website, too. Why? You’ll see how teacher professional development is still tied to CCSS (Common Core State Standards), how SRI is in bio-research for health care, and, more.

Otus’ Advertisement:

For the last advertisement, we’ll find out what or whom is behind Otus.

Warriors, this company exists to streamline data collection. It also is targeting all school leaders, not simply teachers. It’s got its data tracking aimed at assessments, too. Why? So you can see learning ‘in real time’. ( I am going to be a bit ‘cheeky’ here for a moment. If you want to see learning in ‘real time’, it won’t be on a computer!)In the above screen shot, you see a sample image for a student. Notice how it’s “Standards Based Mastery”. While I didn’t find the exact image used in the advertisement, I did find one very similar on the Assessments Management page. You’ll need to scroll down to ‘new and old gradebooks’.

(A 2017 Blog article reveals the Standards will be CCSS/NGSS and accessible by third parties.) (*CCSS: Common Core State Standards/NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards)

Among the Otus partners is CCSS Machine member organization, NWEA (North West Evaluation Association). If you’ve not heard of NWEA, maybe you recognize their ‘work’: RTI scale (Response to Intervention) and MAP (Measures of Academic Progress). This organization is an insult to any parent, student, and educator. Why?
While their advertising brags of ‘measuring what matters’, it is data raping in its most evil form: SEL (social emotional learning). What’s more is MAP is used outside public education! Private schools, home education, and faith based schools use MAP. My former research has proven this time and time again.

Also helping Otus be as CCSS aligned as possible, especially for assessments, is Khan Academy. Khan is among Otus’s shared educational resources. If you wish to learn more about the ‘free’ educational resources Otus offers, look at their ‘Classroom and Learning Management’page. Look for the ‘behavior tracking’ tool/resource.

Look further into SEL, RTI, and MAP, you’ll find Robert Marzano. Marzano is notoriously known for things like “Rigor Walk”. (Teachers and leaders are led around the schools with data tracking tools to measure students without consent.) My evidence on this is also research based and previously published on this blog.

You can access both my NWEA and Marzano articles here. (*Note: one of the NWEA leaders believes that if students letter ‘better’, they will score ‘better’ on these assessments. If they score ‘better’, they’ll be ‘better citizens’. “Better citizens” create a healthy economic system so everyone can benefit. I pointed this out in one of my NWEA articles. Look for it.)

Finally, from Otus’s Blog, an article from January 2018, will show you how to choose the best on-line formative assessment. The research Otus is relying on for helping schools choose the correct assessment? The George Lucas Educational Foundation!

Closing:

Warriors, before we part for today, I wanted to share with you a June 2017 article I wrote centered on the HARD and SOFT Goals embedded in SEL and Common Core. This article is not only vital to understanding why technology can be used against us in education and assessments, it’s vital to see how it ties to education in 2018 and beyond.

In continuing to look back at the anti CCSS year so far, today’s article will share the best files I’ve been able to offer you in aiding your battle against Common Core.

In no particular order, here are the ‘files’ most important and worth sharing again.

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education:

This info packed article from March, 2015 gave you an in-depth look at how aligned to not only Common Core, but, Career and Technical Education this group is. In it you’ll find connections to Pearson Publishing, Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University, and Sage Publishing to name a few pro CCSS supporters. You’ll also have access to the letter the AACTE wrote to Sec. Arne Duncan!

What do the massive data miners AIR (American Institute of Research) and an on-line library have in common? “Pathways to College” , as well as the Alliance for Excellent Education! You might recognize Pathways to College is very similar to those like ‘Career Pathways’, ‘College and Career Pathways’, ‘Career Clusters’, and ‘Career and Technical Education’. Yes, ALL of these names are connected to Common Core. The online library featured in this article from February of this year will also share with you how Horace Mann’s philosophy of education is tied in. You’ll also get to know much more about those high stake assessments, too!

From January, 2015, here’s another article with Linda Darling-Hammond, Career and Technical Education, and what is known as “Adult Common Core”. Yes, you read correctly..’adult CC’. You’ll also note, as I’ve stated many times, that while all 50 states may not of adopted CCSS, ALL 50 states have Workforce training, Career and College Readiness plans. In this article, I shared with you North Carolina’s current status in all this as an example of what to look for in your state; the Adult CC Caucus information on a federal level was also revealed in this published article. There’s lots to delve into the learn all you can about the plans to turn ALL our students (regardless of educational choice or age) into ‘talent supply’ to churn down the CCSS/CTE/CCR (Common Core State Standards/Career and Technical Education/College and Career Readiness) pipeline!

The discovery of the Small Business Administration and its ties to Common Core, set a few readers and/or followers aback with shock. I shared all kinds of news, findings, and documents back in February 2015. So just how is the SBA tied to the CCSS Machine? Funding initiatives, business ventures, and capital investments. You’ll see pro friendly CCSS corporations like Apple, Intel, and Hewlett-Packard.

Are there aspects about anything related to Common Core you’d like me to investigate to see what files are available? I’d be honored to dive into it for you, if you’d like me to. As you’ve been able to see from each of the articles above, I don’t tell you what to think, I point you to where to look so you can use what you need for your state’s fight in this war against the Core.

This is a re-post of Sunday’s Riddle Me This. It is SO important that we shine the light on CCSS in special needs that I felt this was worth the re-posting. I also know not as many of my followers were able to access this story due to my road trip.
My fellow anti CCSS warriors, if you read this on Sunday, consider sharing it with someone in the warrior world against CC whom you know hasn’t read it. IF you didn’t get to access this on Sunday, I hope you will use the information to help raise as much awareness as possible. So many folks don’t really see how several groups (including Presence Learning seen above) are promoting CCSS for those with special needs. Today, as on Sunday, you’ll get an in-depth look at HOW ‘PL’ is selling school districts, families, and students on how ‘great’ Common Core can be for those with special needs.

Presence of Deceit:

I feel it’s important to point out that before we get too far into this company, we remember that CCSS is the absolute presence of deceit! Violating the U.S. Constitution, breaking laws of all sorts, AND being featured almost everywhere you turn. Not once, is anyone with a corporate logo willing to admit, all this is based on a false pretense; a lie; a disgrace. The CCSS serves no one well who’s not profiting. ESPECIALLY those who have needs outside the ‘norm’. For these students and teachers, CCSS is not only WRONG, it’s a crime that has gone unpunished.

Presence Learning:

In the screen shot below, note the ‘team’ members, notice their previous backgrounds as well. To see more about the ties that can alert you to more possible CC involvement, visit:http://presencelearning.com/about/team/

Stanford Univ. got help from BOTH Carnegie AND Gates for a CCSS LanguageInitiative.

Here’s a second paper you might find worth investigating. The description of the paper includes the following, “The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) English language arts (ELA) goal is for students to develop “communicative competence,” which is the students’ ability to express themselves through different words and text.” Here’s the link to download a copy this paper (which also covers SLPs and assessments): http://presencelearning.com/resources/library/the-core-of-the-common-core/

You’ll more than likely want to see the videos PL has of the success stories their CCSS aligned services and products has given students and their schools. http://presencelearning.com/resources/videos/ You’ll probably be interested to know that on PL’s product tour page, they have this to say, “Organizations such as the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Counseling Association, US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Mayo Clinic all recognize the effectiveness of online therapy, as do numerous research studies. Students who receive service through PresenceLearning perform the same or better than the national average in functional communication measures such as spoken language production, spoken language comprehension, and sound production. Students tend to meet their IEP goals 22% faster with PresenceLearning.”

You will most definitely want to watch the 3 part video on how to write a CCSS aligned IEP!! Access the page full of indoctrination: http://presencelearning.com/sped-ahead-webinars/shift-happens-new-iep-language-for-a-common-core-world/

About The Connections:

Earlier in my article I shared that the most common tie in PL team was Stanford University. Then I stated SU has been tied to CCSS. I think it only prudent to provide some proof for you.

Have you heard of the “Understanding Langue Initiative”? Stanford received help from both Carnegie AND Gates for this project. Carnegie’s Foundation gave $400,000 toward the Initiative (see:http://carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/ for June 2013) Gates’ Foundation has given Stanford several grants towards CCSS and/or related resources. While I couldn’t find a specific one for Understanding Language from June 2013, here’s the link to see all the funding GF has given Stanford. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database#q/k=Stanford%20University

While we all know how dis-serving CC is to all, I find it especially grievous that our most unique and wonderful children are being subjected to this way of learning. I feel so much for the teachers who must jump through the CC hoops as they watch what happens to their lovely charges in the classroom.

In my mind, I find it truly ironic that one of the most outspoken critics of CCSS also is connected to Stanford. If only the rest of those involved in CC would take a queue from him. Thank you, Dr. MIlgram. I’m glad you’ve joined the thousands of others who are against the CC.

Thank you to ALL those with the heart and care for our students..future leaders and citizens, regardless of abilities. You are tremendous!